Remotely operated mobile robot and robot control system

Abstract

A remotely operated mobile robot includes a movement controller, a notification unit, and a switching unit. The movement controller is configured to be remotely operated by a terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot through a communication line so as to control movement of the remotely operated mobile robot. The notification unit is configured to notify a terminal device, other than the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot, of a request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot, if a predetermined condition is satisfied. If the terminal device notified of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot makes an operation demand, the switching unit switches to a state of the movement controller to a state in which the movement controller is operable by the terminal device that makes the operation demand.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A remotely operated mobile robot comprising:
 a display screen; and 
 a processor configured to:
 be remotely operated by a terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot through a communication network so as to control movement of the remotely operated mobile robot; 
 notify a terminal device, other than the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot, of a request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot, if a predetermined condition is satisfied; 
 control the display screen to display an indication that an emergency condition has occurred, if the predetermined condition is satisfied; 
 control a brake to lock the remotely operated mobile robot if the predetermined condition is satisfied; and 
 
 if the terminal device notified of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot makes an operation demand, switch a state of the processor to a state in which the processor is operable by the terminal device that makes the operation demand. 
 
     
     
       2. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to notify a terminal device possessed by a user who is present around the remotely operated mobile robot, of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot; and
 if the terminal device possessed by the user who is present around the remotely operated mobile robot and notified of the request for operation makes the operation demand, the processor is controlled by the terminal device possessed by the user who is present around the remotely operated mobile robot. 
 
     
     
       3. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to notify (i) a terminal device possessed by a user who is an interaction partner immediately before the predetermined condition is satisfied or (ii) a terminal device that remotely operates another remotely operated mobile robot, of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot. 
     
     
       4. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to notify (i) a terminal device possessed by a user who is present at a physically closest location to the remotely operated mobile robot when the predetermined condition is satisfied or (ii) the terminal device that remotely operates another remotely operated mobile robot, of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot. 
     
     
       5. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to notify a terminal device that is remotely operating another remotely operated mobile robot other than the remotely operated mobile robot, of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot; and
 if the terminal device that is remotely operating another remotely operated mobile robot and notified of the request for operation makes the operation demand, the processor is controlled by the terminal device. 
 
     
     
       6. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 5 , wherein the processor controls the remotely operated mobile robot to follow the other remotely operated mobile robot. 
     
     
       7. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to sequentially notify terminal devices other than the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot, of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot in a predetermined priority order. 
     
     
       8. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a camera configured to capture an image of surroundings; 
 wherein if a predetermined gesture by a user is detected in the image captured by the camera, the processor is configured to switch the state of the processor to a state in which the processor is operable by the predetermined gesture by the user. 
 
     
     
       9. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition is satisfied if a communication failure occurs in the communication network between the remotely operated mobile robot and the terminal device that remotely operates the remotely operated mobile robot. 
     
     
       10. The remotely operated mobile robot according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured to release the brake, based on an operation by the terminal device that has made the operation demand. 
 
     
     
       11. A robot control system comprising:
 a remotely operated mobile robot; and 
 a terminal device configured to remotely operate the remotely operated mobile robot through a communication network, wherein 
 the remotely operate mobile robot includes a display screen, and a processor configured to:
 be remotely operated by the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot through the communication network so as to control movement of the remotely operated mobile robot; 
 notify a terminal device, other than the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot, of a request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot, if a predetermined condition is satisfied; and 
 control the display screen to display an indication that an emergency condition has occurred, if the predetermined condition is satisfied; 
 control a brake to lock the remotely operated mobile robot if the predetermined condition is satisfied; and 
 if the terminal device notified of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot makes an operation demand, switch a state of the processor to a state in which the processor is operable by the terminal device that makes the operation demand. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A remotely operated mobile robot comprising:
 a display means for displaying images; 
 a control means for:
 being remotely operated by a terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot through a communication network so as to control movement of the remotely operated mobile robot; and 
 controlling a brake to lock the remotely operated mobile robot if a predetermined condition is satisfied; 
 
 a notifying means for:
 notifying a terminal device, other than the terminal device connected to the remotely operated mobile robot, of a request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot, if the predetermined condition is satisfied; and 
 controlling the display means to display an indication that an emergency condition has occurred, if the predetermined condition is satisfied; and 
 a switching means, wherein if the terminal device notified of the request for operation of the remotely operated mobile robot makes an operation demand, the switching means switches a state of the control means to a state in which the control means is operable by the terminal device that makes the operation demand.